Clothes-drying rack



Feb. 1, 1927. ,6 ,0

A. WALLACE 1 CLOTHES DRYING RACK Filed Sept. 18,. 1925 ZSheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

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Feb. 1 1927. 1,616,097

A. WALLACE CLOTHES DRYING RACK Filed Sept. 18. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

BY ATTORNEY i -'1. lass Eli) Jifi

Patented Feb. 1, 1927.

Price.

ALBERT WALLACE, 01 L03 ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CLOTHES-DRYING RACK.

Application filed September This invention particularly pertains to a structure on which articles may be hung to air or dry and which is especially adapted for use as a support for laundered articles to expose same to sun and air in effecting drying thereof.

41-11 object of the invention is to provide a structure of the above character of the type embodying a hanging rack adapted to be moved vertically so that it may be disposed .in a lowered position convenient to the reach when loading and raised to an elevated posi tion when desired and which may also be folded when not in use; and which is so constructed as to facilitate disposing the rack in its several positions.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in elevation, partly in vertical section illustrating the drying rack with the parts arranged in their elevated position;

Fig. 2 is a detail of the rack as seen {in side elevation with parts broken away, showing the hanging rack in its uppermost position;

Fig. 3 is a detail in side elevation with parts broken away showing the hanging rack as lowered to a loading position;

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation illustrating the manner of folding the hanging rack;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the rack;

Fig. (Sis a detail in perspective illustrating the construction of the rack arms;

Fig. 7 is a detail in elevation of the rack operating mechanism as seen in the direction indicated by the arrow 7 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings more specifically, 8 indicates a post turn-ably carried on a base 9 and provided with a cap 10 at its upper end forming a shoulder. Fixed on the post is a bracket 11 and carried by the bracket 11 is a shaft 12 fitted with a spur gear 13 and provided with a crank 14 whereby the shaft 12 and gear 13 may be rotated. Extending vertically parallel to the post is a rack-bar 15 the teeth of which intermesh with the gear 13. The lower end of the rackbar 15 is provided with a sleeve 16 which slidably encircles the post 8 beneath the bracket- 11. Carried on the bracket 11 and pivoted at 17 is a rocker arm 18, the lower end portion of which extends downwardly at an incline to a point below the bracket 11 and is provided with an end latch member 19 adapted to be positioned in engage- 18, 1925. Serial No. 57,112

ment with a tooth of the rack-bar 15. to hold the latter against downward movement and adapted on rocking the rocker arm 18 to be disengaged from the rack tooth to permit vertical movement of the rack-bar. Mounted on the post above the bracket 11 is a pair of slidable sleeves 20 and 21 which are adapted to be shifted longitudinally of the post. The upper end of the rack-bar 15 is atfixed to the upper sleeve 20 as indicated at 22 and passes through a boss 23 on the lower sleeve 21, which construction maintains the sleeves 20 and 21 against rotation in relation to each other. As a means for locking the sleeves 20 and 21 against relative longitudinal movement on the post 8 the boss .23 is formed with an opening to receive a pin 24, which is adapted to be engaged with an opening in the rack-bar 15, which opening is arranged to be engaged by the pin 24 when the sleeves 20 and 21 are positioned in end contact with each other, as shown in Fig. 2. The pin 24 is mounted on a chain 25 attached to the lower sleeve 21 to insure against misplacement of the pin.

Pivotally mounted on the lower sleeve 21 is a series of radial arms 26 and pivotally connected to the upper sleeve 20 is a series of radial braces 27 the outer ends of which are pivotally connected to the arms 26. tending between the adjacent arms 26 is a plurality of lines 28 which are' of such length that when the arms 26 are in their extended position the arms will be disposed at an upward inclination to the horizontal. The arms 26., braces 27 and the lines 28 with the supporting sleeves constitute the drying rack. The outer end portions of the arms as are curved u nvardly as indicated at 30, and pivotally connecting with the extreme end portions of the arms at 31 are links 32, the outer ends of which are connected by chains or other suitable flexible connecions to links 34- pivotally attached to the upper sleeve 20. The links 32 and 8 1 serve as tie rods to hold the outer end portions of the arms against being bent downwardly under loads imposed thereon when the drying rack is in its extended position.

In the operation of the invention, when the arms 26 are disposed in their extended position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the sleeves 20 and 21 are connected together through the medium of the pin 24 engaging the rack-bar 15, whereupon on releasing the latch member 19 from the rack-bar the latter may be shifted by rotating the crank to either raise or lower the drying rack.

lVhen it is desired to fold the drying rack from its open position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 it is first disposed. in its lowermost position with the lower sleeve 21 seating on the bracket 11 whereupon the pin 26% is disengaged from the rackbar and the latter is moved upwardly by rotating the shaft 12 and pinion 13 which upward movement of the rack-bar acts to liftthe upper sleeve away from the lower sleeve 21 and thereby cause the arms 26 to move upwardly and inwardly on their pivotal connection with the sleeve 21 until the arms 26 and braces 27 extend substantially parallel with each other and to the post 5; the links 32 and 34 swinging downwardly into the space between the arms and the post. The latch member 19 is then engaged with the rack-bar to hold the latter in its elevated position.

In order to facilitate adjusting the lengths of the several lines 28 and take up slack therein, the lines are rove through apertures 35 formed in the arms 26, which arms are preferably formed of T-iron to afford a web 36 in which the openings 35 are formed. The lines 28 are passed freely through the openings 85 in the several arms and have their end portions extending through one of the arms and knotted on opposite sides thereof, as indicated at 37 in Fig. 6, so that in event a line becomes slack it may be drawn taut by pulling one of the end portions, which, because of the line being loosely supported, will effect slackening thereof throughout the length thereof. After thus drawing the lines taut a knot 37 at one end of the line may be retied or the end of the line may be otherwise secured to the arm through which it passes.

The latch member 19 is normally maintained in a position to engage the teeth of the rack bar 15 by means of a spring 38 attached to the lever 18 exerting an upward pull on the latter. The spring 38 is provided with a guard 38'.

As a means for preventing spinning of the crank 1 1 under the urge of the rack-bar 15 on disengaging the latch member 19 from the latter, means are provided for holding the pinion 13 against rotation on disengaging the latch member 19 from the rack-bar which means is here shown as comprising an arcuate finger 39 carried by the latch member 19 and projecting upwardly therefrom over the pinion 13 and having a hook 410 on its upper end adapted to engage a tooth of the pinion 13 when the latch member 19 is positioned in engagement with a tooth on the rack bar 15 and being adapted on rocking of the lever 18, in effecting disengagement of the latch member 19, to move out of engagement with the pinion 13 after the latch member 19 has been disengaged from the rack-bar.

The finger S9 and latch member 19 co act after the manner of an ordinary escapement device, the finger serving to hold the pinion against rotation at a time when the latch 19 is releaset from the rack.

I claim 1. In a clothes drying rack, a post, a pair of superimposed sleeves slidable on said post a plurality of arms pivoted on the lower- .iost of said sleeves, braces connecting said arms to the uppermost sleeve, flexible lines extending between adjacent arms and can ried thereby, a vertically extending rackbar connected to the uppermost of said sleeves, means for detachably connect-in said rack-bar to the lowermost of said sleeves. manually operated means for effecting ve tical movement of said rack-bar, and means for detachably holding said rack-bar against movement in various positions.

2. In a clothes drying rack, a post, a pair of superimposed sleeves slidable on said post, a series of arms pivotally carried by the lowermost of said sleeves, braces connecting said arms with the uppermost sleeve, flexi ble lines extending between adjacent of said arms and carried thereby, a rack-bar afiixed to the uppermost of said sleeves and depending parallel to said post past the lowermost sleeve, an apertured lug on the lowermost sleeve through which said rack-bar passes, means for connecting said lug and rack-bar together when said sleeves are contiguous to each other, a bracket on said post, manually operated means carried by said bracket for efiecting vertical movement of said rackbar, and means for detachably engagin said rack-bar to support it in various positions.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

ALBERT WVALLAGE. 

